Improvement in bleaching, tanning, and coloring sponges



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FREDERICK BRAUN AND AUGUSTUS THEODORE SCHMIDT, OF PITTSBURG,

' PENNSYLVANIA.

Letters Patent No. 102,7 60, dated May 10, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT 1N BLEACHING, TANNING, AND COLORING SPONG-ES.

The Schedule referred to if: these Letters Patent and making part of thesame.

To all whom itmmy concern:

Be it known that we, FREDERICK BRAUN and A u- GUSTUS THEODORE Sc'HMID'r,of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented a newand useful Improvement in Process for Bleaching, Tanning,and Coloring Sponges; and we do hereby declare the following to'be a,full, clear, and exact description thereof. 1

The bleaching of sponges by means of acids has been heretoforepracticed, but with the resultof injuring the fiber or tissue to such anextent as greatly to impair their value. I

' By our improvement, we not only remove, in a great degree, the darkcoloring matter from the sponge, but

also strengthen the tissue to such an'extent that it cannot easily betorn, and will last much longer, and this without rendering 'itharsh orunpleasant to the touch.

We are also enabled to impart a gbeautii'uland delicate permanent colorto the sponge, after it has been bleached by'the removal of thenaturalcoloring matter.

To enable others skilled in the art to use our improvement, we willproceed to explain the processes employed by us to accomplish theresults indicated.

The sponges to be treated, which may be the American sponge, or thesponges from Mediterranean sea, or any other quality of sponge, arefirst cleansed of sand, coral, and other mechanical impurities orforeign matters, in, the usual well knownway of cleaning them they arethen subjected successively to three distinct processes, viz:

. First, bleaching or dccolorization; second, tanning third, coloring.

These processes we will describe separately in V the order aboveindicated. V

For the purpose of removing the natural dark coloring matter from thesponges, we use a wash, composed of a solution in the proportions ofabout one ounce of permanganate of potash and one ounce of sulphate ofsoda, dissolved in from one and a halt to two gallons of water, thewater being slightly warm, (say, about 90 Fahrenheit) so as 'to effectthe solution. In place of the permanganate of potash,the permanganate ofsoda may be employed, and for the sulphate of soda, the sulphate of anyof the alkalies may be substituted, if desired, in suitable proportions.Of such solution,.one gallon is ordinarily suificient for every pound ofsponges to be treated, but some sponges will require more, and othersless than the proportionate quantity of washing solution named,according to their color and quality.

The sponges, cleaned of foreign matters and impurities, as beforestated, are immersed in this solution and worked therein by compressionand dilation, so as to wash them thoroughly for about half an hour, or

until the liquor in which they are Washed becomes phate of soda. Theresult of this washing is partially to soften the sponge tissue, and togiven dark brown color to the sponge. v

The sponges are then washed rapidly in a bleaching solution, composed ofaboutonc ounce of hyposulphite of soda, with about one ounce ofsulphuric acid, in two gallons of water; In this solution two ounces ofmuriatic acid may be substituted for the one ounce. of Sulphuric acid.

\Vashing the sponges, previously treatedas before described, in thissolution of hyposulphite'of soda and sulphuric acid immediatelydischarges the coloring matter from the sponges, and leaves them nearlycolorless.

They are not left in this solution, but aretaken out quickly, and thenwell washed in pure-water, and ii'a more perfect-decolorization isdesired, the washing in the permanganate of potash solution, and thesubsequent dipping in the hyposulphite of soda solution may be repeated,after which they are again rinsed in pure water.

In place of using the wash of hyposulphite of soda and sulphuric ormuriatic acid, as above statetha bath of liquid snlphurous acid may beemployed, or the sponges may be exposed to the fumes of sulphurous acid,produced by the combustion of sulphur.

The second process is that of tanning the sponges, which have beenbleached as above stated. For this purpose, we use a solution in threegallons of water, of three ounces of muriate of soda (common salt) andnine ounces of sulphate of alumina. In this liquor the sponges areimmersed for about twenty-four hours, or until they have rendered theliquor nearly neutral.

They are then removed and dried without being rinsed or washed in purewater, which would tend to remove the tanning liquor. v

In place of the tanning liquor above mentioned, may be substituted asolution in the proportion of one ounce of tannin, dissolved in threegallons of water, or a decoction in water of any herb, bark, or rootcontaining'tannin may beemployed, using such quantities as will give anequivalent proportion of tannin.

The effect of thus tanning the sponge is to strengthen the sponguetissue to such an extent as to render it almost untearable, withoutrendering it harsh-and disagreeable, or injuring its property ofabsorbing int-ion determines the depthof color given to the sponge, andwill therefore vary accordingly.

A solution of the strength of one ounce of aqua am-' inonia in from oneto two gallons of water will impart a delicate yellow color, which maybe deepened to oiange color by increasing the quantity of-ammonia.

After dippingthe sponges in the ammonia solution they are dried withoutwashing, which completes the operation. v- I The advantages of ourimproved processes are that the bleaching operation does not injure thetexture or tissue of the spongue; that the tanning process adds greatlyto its strength, and the coloring process imparts a variety of delicatetints to the sponges, which may be made lighter or darker, as may bedesired.

Our mode of treating sponges adds greatly, also, to their commercialvalue. The common qualities of Florida sponges may thus be made verybeautiful and durable, and will command a high price in .the market ascompared with the same sponges in their natural condition.

Either the tanning or bleaching processes may be usedalone, asunbleached sponges may betanned by our process, or sponges may bebleached by our process, without being subsequently either tanned orcolored. 1

\Ve therefore do not wish to limit our claim of inventiolrtothccombination of these processes, which we have described, althoughwhen used as we have .described in succession, they produce, as wethink, a

better and more saleable article.

Nor do we wish to limit ourselves to dyeing sponges with aqua ammonia,because when bleached by means of our process, they may be dyed ofvarious colors by means of many well-known dyes or coloring matter,

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,isl 1L Bleaching or decolorizing sponges by treating them in a solutioninwater of permanganate of soda or potash and sulphate of soda, or ofother alkalies, and subsequently washing them in a solution of hypo-'sulphite of soda or a bath of liquid or gaseous sulphurous acid,substantially as hereinbefore described.

2. Tanning sponges, substantially in'the manner as hereinbet'oredescribed.

3. Coloring sponges previously bleached, by means of any desired dye orcoloring matter.

4. .Ooloring sponges previously bleached, or bleached and tannethhydipping them in a solution of aqua am- ,monia, substantially asdescribed.

